This week in beer. A new home for Craft Beer in Canberra?

FOLLOWING the lead of Sydney venues like Frankies Pizza by the slice and the Prince Albert Hotel, the Transit Bar in Akuna Street, Civic, under the YHA building, has announced itself as Canberra’s premier home for craft beer. With an ever-rotating selection of tap beer, the Transit Bar is well and truly becoming a second home to many of Canberra’s craft beer aficionados, myself included.

Since upgrading their eight taps to a single bank of twelve, the Transit Bar has taken on several new, interesting and never before seen on tap in the nation’s capital beers. The Transit Bar has a distinctive “winter feel” with its current tap selections, with beers including Victoria’s Prickly Moses Red Ale and the malt driven Bridge Road Bling IPA, Brewcult’s “Keep on trucking” Red IPA, White Rabbit Dark Ale and the award winning Young Henrys Real Ale. Owner of Transit Bar Marc Grainger has taken his venue down the craft beer route as he feels its his job as a bar owner to “support this industry (craft beer)” and “to support small business.”

And who can blame him? Although general market share of beer consumption in Australia continues to fall, quite the opposite is happening with craft beer. And though it appears that the Transit Bar is leading the charge, other local Canberra venues such as Honkytonks, The Durham Castle Arms and A Baker are also taking up the craft beer ethos.

Duty manager Sam, Mark (the English, moustached one) and Jamah are three full-time employees of the Transit Bar who are all eager to instil their wisdom and beer-snobery upon anyone who enters their premises. Whether a veteran of craft beer, or just starting out on your craft beer sojourn, the Transit Bar can help you with their new fan-dangle tasting paddles, where you receive 4 200ml beers with pretzels for $15.

The slow burn that is the craft beer revolution is gathering steam, and the Transit Bar is one of Canberra’s best venues to experience it. Go down there (its underground), get cozy and get tasting just what Australia has to offer.

What’s impressing me?

Transit Bar tasting paddles; great way to experience Australian craft beer
Feral Brewing Hop Hog IPA; Australia’s best, most balanced and sessionable ale in my opinion
Holgate Empress; so rich, complex and delicious, can I exchange this for my morning coffee?